One King
by ErinNovelist
Summary: In the traveling duel between Thief King Bakura and the Ancient Egyptian King, the Pharaoh becomes aware of a few points now that he is separated from his Host, Yugi.  drabble; Atem-centric  700 words.


He opened his eyes, blinking blearily to clear the exhaustion from his amethyst orbs. Before he fully released himself to reality, he clenched them close once more, trying to regain his bearings from the fall. When he finally recuperated, he dizzily stared ahead, barely recognizing anything at all. Cobwebs tickled his mind, a vast amount of nothingness filling him. It took a short beat of time before he realized someone was cradling him close to their chest; he could feel the rapid rhythm of their heartbeat, as quick as a hummingbird's wings.

A hand was tentatively gripping his shoulder, tightening when he was awake. He looked up, eyes widening with awareness as he distinguished the person in front of him. "Yugi," he said, bewilderment lacing his voice. "Is that you?"

Yugi's soft, violent, and innocent eyes gazed back with nothing short of surprise and relief; they were the same as the Pharaoh had always remembered them to be. "So you can see us?"

The questions rang out in the Pharaoh's mind, thoughts raising a million miles per nanosecond. Yugi grasped his bronze hand, strength coursing through his veins, and the Pharaoh felt a whoosh of air escape his lips at the motion, disbelief sketched in his expression. On one note, he felt that his life force was rebuilding itself as Yugi transferred his energy to his own, but the true topic that appeared in the back of his haunted him

_He can really touch me now. I can feel him. I'm my own person. We aren't sharing a body any longer…_

So many times before, when he had been a parasite inside of a vessel, the Pharaoh always regarded his partner's body with a deep reverence. Because he had gone so long without one, he knew how important the shells were. Always before had he made actions with Yugi's consent (save for that one, _disastrous_ moment), never been able to do so what he willed too. He had nothing to act it out with, but here he sat, weakened from his battle with the Thief King Bakura, and Yugi was separate from him, giving him the strength to finish his own battle – with his own body.

The Pharaoh nodded as he thought through the concept revolving in his mind, tightening his grip on Yugi's hand. If their bond truly was this strong – more prominent than he imagined – then he could defeat the long-time enemy that threatened the peace of his people, the ones he ruled so long ago but never remembered caring for. Now a day, as he fought with the vigilance to become the victor, he realized that in the past, he did fight for his people. Any doubts he had when Rafael spoke of him as an evil king vanished. It was not an assumption that he fought for the right reasons back then, he actually remembered. He _remembered. _Flashes of cheers and gratitude flashed through his mind, short images conjured from the dark depth of his mind, and he let a small smile grace his face.

Knowing what he had to do, the Pharaoh leapt to his feet as easily as he breathed, letting out a grunt of exhaustion in the process. His bones popped slightly, but he ignored it, determined with the task at hand. Pulling himself onto his horse, of who had no recognizable name to the King, the Pharaoh prepared to endure other round of battle.

"Bakura," he thundered, voice stern with strength, "Your reign of terror ends here and now. You have disgraced the Egyptian Gods-" He raised his left arm, diadunk poised to fight. –"And for that you must pay." Bakura's horse shuddered in fear. "Come forth, Winged Dragon of Ra! Cast thy rage upon this enemy of Egypt!"

The Pharaoh's words echoed, and he set his lips in a resolute expression. Whatever occurred from then on, he had to be ready. He now was stronger than ever – with Yugi and his friends by his side – with his own body, separated from his prison of five thousand years – poised with his own decisions, own actions, own strength.

Two worlds, one family, one body, and one King.


End file.
